Game



Patented. Oa. 20,'` 1936 'I My invention relates to games of the' so-called f "parlor" type and has to do more particularly with agame which involves ,a combination of chance and skill. l

In accordance with my invention the game may be played in a large number of ways and various devices may ber employed for the same, all embodying the same principle. It' will be understoodv therefore that the devicesiwhich I have illustrated ,and the methods of employing the same `are merely exemplary and by no means limiting.

Referring now to the drawings forming a part of this specification and illustrating certain preferred embodiments of my invention:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of ay game board embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 2'2 of Fig. 1;

Figs. 3, 4 and 5 are perspective views of pieces dicating targets or sectors; and Fig. 6 is a side elevational view of an alternative form of game board embodying invention.

An inspection of Fig. 1 will show that in one of its preferred `forms my invention is applied to a "battleshlp game wherein pieces are concealed by one player to represent vships in a fleet which is to be attacked by the opposing player, who has no knowledge of their disposition. The attacking player then proceeds to indicate certain sectors behind which` he guesses the targets to be concealed. As the game proceeds, each player keeps a score of the' hits orcorrect guesses of his opponent, which scoring enables his opponent, by deductive reasoning, to select his targets with increasingaccuracy. The game. therefore, becomes an exciting testy of mental a'droitness'combined with the element of chance. While the drawings illustrate my invention as the same principles may be applied to a game wherein targets represent companies or regiments of soldiery rather than ships, or various other fanciful arrangements. 1 45 The game is especially adapted to be played on a horizontal surface and includes a board l0. Fig. 1 shows this board asadapted to be played simultaneously by two players, it being apparent that the variousfeatures on opposite sides of the line A-B are duplicates. This may be considered therefore as a-double board wherein two opponents may proceed alternately against each other. However, according to one formof my invention, a game board may comprise only the parts on 55 one side of the line A-B, i. e., one-half of the board shown in Fig. 1. In using such a device, a

game consists of an attack by one player and a defense by the other, after which the roles may be reversed.

6o A board comprises a plurality of parallel eleused in connection with the game board for in.

applied to a battleship game, it will be obvious that vations orridges I2 separated by. trenches or depressions I3. These depressions I3 are shown (Fig. 2) as triangular in cross section morder that they may house wedge shaped pieces as shown in Fig. 3, but said depressions may take numerous other forms soas to seat pieces of various other shapes and forms, such as cylindrical pieces shown in' Fig. 4, lor spherical pieces as shown in Fig. 5.

The piecesmay be formed of wood, metal, glass,`V or other-suitable material, while the board may conveniently be molded from papier mach or a suitable plastic. Arranged inthe elevations or ridges l2 are a plurality of holes or cavities I5 which may be used by the attacking player to indicate a selection of a target by inserting a peg I6 in certain of saidcavities lli. However, various other arrangements may be used to enable the attacker to indicate a selection of targets or sectors on the elevations l2. Thus for example, transverse lines may be marked on the ridges i2 dividing them into areas representing sectors behind which targets may be concealed, and the attacking player may place disks, buttons, or any other suitable'type of marker on certain areas to indicate his choice oi' targets.V

Communicating with all of the depressions it is'atransverse trench or cavity i8, said communication trench i8 having an enlarged well portion 2li. It is intended that pieces concealed in the various trenches i3 may be readily removed from the board .by tilting the latter toward thecommunication trench it or by pushing the pieces with a peg or the like toward the trenchlt and toward the well- 2t, from which the pieces may be readily extracted with the fingers.

be provided for pegs or the like to be used in playing the game, as hereinafter described.

To facilitate the keeping of score, the board is Aalso provided with means for registering "hits gets, sectors or spaces on the board, a cruiser 4 and a destroyer 3. Of course, the objectives maybe of any desired number and may be assumed to.

occupy any space agreed on by the players. The number of objectives and the spaces they are to occupy should be' agreed on. Preliminarily to playing the 'game the defending player places his pieces, which may be of any of the forms shown in Figs.' 3-5, or of any other suitable form, in the trenches or depressions I3, laying down his pieces in any desired manner so long as they occupy. consecutive positions on`the board, either A plurality of relatively shallow cavities f3 may v longitudinally or transversely of the trenches I3. As shown in Fig. 1, it is assumed that the defendl ing player has placed his pieces P at the positions indicated. It will be understood, of course, that the pieces are placed without the knowl: of the attacking player as to their location. may be accomplished .either by the attackers looking aside, as the defender arranges his forces, or by the provision of a screen S in a slot ll, when a double board is being used. In any event, after the-pieces are placed behind the elevations i2, i. e., behind with relation to the vision of the attacking player, they will be effectively concealed from his view.

The attacker then proceeds to place his shots by applying markers on the various elevated sectors behind which he supposes the targets to be concealed. In the given embodiment, this is done by inserting pegs I6 in certain of the cavities I5. According to one manner of playing the game, the attacker is permitted five shots in a -the defending player.

salvo" or broadside; that is, he is permitted to place five markers in any given play, after which his hits are scored.. A hit is registered by placing a marker on an area "behind which a target or piece has been concealed by The defending player thereupon proceeds to indicate the score achieved by his opponent's play.

It will be seen from the positions of the markers indicated on Fig. 1, which show an example of a single play or salvo, that a hit has been accomplished against the defender's battleship, as indicated' at 30, and alsoA a "hit against the cruiser, as indicated at 3i. This is scored by inserting pegs3ll' and 3i' in the scoring devices 25 and 26, as indicated. The game is more interesting if each salvo" is fired with pegs of a different color and the score indicated with pegs ofthe same colorpas the "salvo" which is scored. With a double board as shown the defender will then proceed to attack his opponent in like manner andthe 'players will continue alternately or simultaneously until "shots" have been placed by a player in registry with all of the pieces representing his opponents targets, whereupon the defending player may call-out, Cease firing. This will represent a game won by a particular player, which may be scored by placing pegs in the apertures indicated in the positions 32.

It will be seenthat a feature which adds considerably to the excitement of the game is the element of concealment of the pieces P from the attacker while, at the saine time, they are visible to the defender. Thus, by observing the scoring and the positions of the shots previously fired, an attacker may deduce to a certain extent the disposition of his opponents forces. Such deductions may bemade with increasing accuracy as the game proceeds.

In an alternative embodiment. illustrated in Fig. 6 this feature of concealment is augmented 'by forming. the upper surface of the board i0' in a mild curve instead of in a plane, as in the embodiment of Figs. 1 and 2.. A slot may likewise be provided as at 35 in Fig. 6 in which a screen S' may be inserted.

Of course, the lame may be simplified by elimtacker may orally specify his choice. In such cases, scoring would probably have to be done as the play proceeds.

Various other changes coming within the spirit of my invention may suggest themselves to those skilled in the art. Hence, I donot wish to be limited to the precise forms shown and described herein except to the extent indicated in the appended claims which are to be interpreted as broadly as the state of the art will permit.

I claim:

1. A game board having indicated thereon a plurality of playing stations arranged in parallel rows and having a depression adjacent each of said rows, aj plurality of pieces disposable in said depressions, said pieces and said depressions being so shaped that the pieces are concealed by the walls of said depressions from a player at one en d of said board while being visible to a player at the opposite end thereof, and means for indicating a selection of certain of said playing stations by an opposing player.

2. A game board having a plurality of parallel grooves therein defining a series of elevations, said elevations each having a plurality of cavities therein, pieces disposable in said grooves, said pieces and said grooves being so shaped that the pieces are concealable by the walls ofv said grooves, and a plurality of members engageable in said cavities.

3. A game board having a plurality of parallel grooves therein defining a series of elevations,

said velevations each having a plurality of cavities A .stations indicated thereon, said board having a depression adjacent said playing stations, a piece disposable in said depression, said piece and said depression being so shaped that the piece is concealed by the Walls of said depression from a 'player at one end of said board while being visible to a player at the opposite end thereof, and means for indicating a selection of certain of said playing stations.

5. A game board having indicated thereon a plurality of playing stations arranged in parallel rows and having a depression adjacent each of said rows, a plurality of pieces disposable in said depressions, said pieces and said depressions being so shaped that the pieces are concealed by the walls of said depressions from a player at one end of said board while being visible to a player at the opposite end thereof, and means for indicating a selection of certain of said playing stations by an opposing player.

6. A game .board having indicated thereon a plurality of playing stations arranged in parallel rows and Ahaving a depression adjacent each of said rows, and a piece disposable in said depressions by a player, said piece and said depressions being so shaped that the piece is concealable by a wall of the depressions in which it is disposed.

, WILFRID PAUL HEATH. 

